redline
by cyclamiel
Summary: It's not just how the arrival of the meek little herbivore called Sawada Tsunayoshi managed to break the 0% crime rate of the quiet town of Nanimori. Lt. Hibari Kyouya also had to contend with the mystery Tsuna posed to his heart. AU. 1827
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own khr

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"**Redline** refers to the maximum engine speed at which an internal combustion engine or traction motor and its components are designed to operate without causing damage to the components themselves or other parts of the engine."

**Chapter 1.**

It was a typical Tuesday night.

Hibari Kyouya's eyes were sharp with satisfaction as his footsteps echoed through the quiet streets of Nanimori. Peaceful and serene, that's the way Nanimori was at this time. Peaceful and sere—

Hibari's air of contentment was shattered by a shout ringing through the night. Suddenly alert, he rounded a corner only to collide with a man clutching a pair of boxer shorts.

"Where do you think you're going?" He glared suspiciously at the pineapple-haired man.

"None of your business." He tried to stuff the underpants he was holding into his pocket when he noticed Hibari looking askance at it.

"You're suspicious besides disturbing the peace. Was that—"

"Oya, oya, I said this has nothing to do with you. This is mine and why are you so interested in my belongings anyway?"

Hibari's dark aura rose and seeking to detain him, reached out a hand and accidentally grabbed hold of the boxer shorts, resulting in a tug-of-war.

"Wait. You look familiar."

"Let. Go!" They tussled briefly over the stressed clothing.

"Kufufu, are you picking me up? I don't blame you. I'm that magnificently sexy after all," he said, not noticing the other's instinctive look of disgust. "But I'd have to decline as you're not my type. Now I believe it's time for me to go—" he said as another (louder) closer shout is heard. Running footsteps neared and suddenly a boxer-clad boy appeared.

"You~! GIVE BACK MY UNDERWEAR YOU _PERVERT!_"

In movements almost too swift to follow, the boy punched the smirk out of the pineapple-man. He turned to Hibari who forgot he was left holding the disputed shorts.

"An accomplice, huh? Damn perverts."

Hibari, caught off guard by someone labeling him a pervert for the first time, was thumped thoroughly into unconsciousness by the other. Hibari's last emotion before fainting was surprise that such a strong person is unknown by him.

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**A/N:** Gah. Why does the first draft seem funnier? I don't think I'm satisfied with this at all! The summary's unwieldy too~ TToTT

**EDIT:** shanagi59 pointed out that I should have used the past tense all the way since I started using that. Edited & past-tense-d the chapter, thank you for the review! Hope it's ok now :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I do not own khr

Thank you so much to everyone who read, reviewed, had my stories in their favorites or in alert last time! I really appreciate it!

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**Chapter 2.**

Hibari woke up to throbbing pain, police lights flashing, and a colleague, Yamamoto Takeshi, untying him and the pineapple-man. His jacket was used to tie them together which added to his annoyance.

"Hibari! Are you ok?" Yamamoto cheerfully offered the jacket back. He eyed his deformed, wrinkled jacket in distaste. Hibari looked around and saw his punch-permed subordinate Kusakabe handcuffing the glum pineapple-haired pervert.

"Rokudo Mukuro," Yamamoto said, following Hibari's glare.

Number: xxx-xxxxxx  
Name: Rokudo Mukuro  
Alias(es): Leonardo Lippi, "Mist"  
Sex: male  
Age: 20s  
Birthday: unknown  
Birthplace: unknown  
Height: apprx. xxx cm.  
Weight: apprx. xx kg  
Eye color: heterochromatic; red (right), blue (left)  
Hair color: blue  
Nationality: unknown (suspected to be Italian)  
Wanted in several countries for repeated offences of undergarment thievery. Master of disguise & illusion. Never been caught.

"Hn." The name brought details from the police file back to Hibari.

"Ah, Tsuna says sorry. He thought you guys were together."

Hibari's head snapped back with the speed of a bullet as he trained suddenly intent eyes on Yamamoto.

"Tsuna?"

Yamamoto eyed him warily as he recognized the look in Hibari's face.

"The guy who caught—"

"Full name? You know him?" Hibari demanded.

_'It's a hunter's look,'_ Yamamoto thought. He contemplated Hibari before saying, "He's a childhood friend who relocated here in Nanimori. Sawada Tsunayoshi."

"Sawada Tsunayoshi." He recalled burning copper eyes and his lips twisted into something too slight to be called a smile.

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**A/N: **Mukuro fans, don't hit me. I like 6927 too! (together with 8027, 5927, X27, R27...I'm getting obvious, huh.) But fear not! This is possibly not the last we'll see of the (sexy & magnificent) Mukuro-sama =D . He may have non-crack-y dramatic scenes too OAO. Also, a reviewer, Ann, wondered why Tsuna was in boxers when Mukuro clearly stole them. Don't worry, I'm actually thinking of writing an extra with the boxers-stealing scene, possibly even detailing the boxers in question XD . The scene has a bit of a spoiler (_very_ slight, but I know some people are sensitive to them) so I might not be able to post it right now. If I don't _ever_ post it I'll be sure to explain and answer your question in an author note :)

**& Help please! :**

Hello reader! Thank you for reading chapter 2 of redline. I'm still having some trouble with a little detail necessary for future chapters. If you're more than familiar with Japanese culture or etiquette, I would like to request your help in answering a question please. I apologize in advance for its length (^^;).

Ok, Tsuna already knows that he's falsely accused Hibari (of being a pervert, of all things lololol) so he's going to apologize with a gift. Now I know that gift-giving holds a deep and special meaning in Japanese culture but I'm not sure what gift would be appropriate for Tsuna to give Hibari. Here are the factors I'm keeping in mind:

1. Tsuna and Hibari are basically strangers

2. Hibari's in law enforcement (if that makes a difference)

3. Tsuna falsely accused (and basically insulted) Hibari of being a pervert

4. Tsuna wrongly beat-up Hibari (ouchie)

5. Tsuna can ask a friend about the things Hibari likes

Maybe fruit, sweets (or liquor)? But it doesn't sound like something Hibari would really enjoy and I want the gift to be something long-lasting. Sooo, I was thinking maybe pottery? Would it be out of place to gift someone, basically a stranger but someone who helped you like Hibari pottery as an apology? Another option I'm thinking of is a kimono or cloth. But I'm worried that might be too personal, since Hibari & Tsuna are strangers. Tsuna could also present Hibird or Roll, but that might be too...weird? Also, does Tsuna have to offer money to Hibari? As restitution for injuring him.

In Hibari's side, does he have to give anything in return for Tsuna's gift? Because some articles I've read indicate that gift receivers are expected to return the favor, some even a specific fraction of the cost. Does a gift given in apology also fall into this category?

Ok, thanks for reading and taking an interest :) I hope someone can send me a definitive, accurate answer to my question but any help would really be appreciated. Kindly send me a pm if you're able to help or comment over at my lj comm: cameo-crush. livejournal. com (no spaces). I'm kinda getting bogged down in details so whenever I write the scene where Tsuna meets Hibari, it ends up being...dry *laughs weakly*.

**Chapter 3 ahead→**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I do not own khr

Thank you so much to everyone who read, reviewed, had my stories in their favorites or in alert last time! Your support is heartwarming!

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**Chapter 3.**

Sawada Tsunayoshi swallowed nervously as he stood before an imposing grey building the following morning.

_"Yamamoto, help! I caught two perverts stealing my—" Here he stopped out of embarrassment and whispered to the phone,"—my underwear!" He fidgeted, red in the face and shivered as wind blew through the street, goosebumps pimpling his boxer-clad self._

_"They're already tied up but could you pick them up please."_

_"Your un—!" Yamamoto laughed uncertainly. "Tsuna, you're not joking, are you?"_

_"No! Anyway just please come here already. It's a good thing you're with the police 'cos I don't think anyone else will believe what happened," he said, looking down at his scanty clothing._

_"Ok, ok. I'm on the way."_

Tsuna burned in embarrassment as he remembered the past night.

_'Why do these kind of things always happen to me?' _Tsuna silently wailed, clutching his hair.

_Hot potato, hot potato  
Hot potato, hot potato  
Hot potato, hot potato  
Potato~  
Potato, Potato, Potato~_

The blaring ringtone startled the already-flustered brunette, making him almost dance in his fumbling searches for the ringing phone.

_Whooo, wiggy wiggy wiggy wiggy  
Whooo, wiggy wiggy wiggy wiggy,  
gimme that, gimme that, gimme that—_

A passer-by looked at him strangely before crossing the street.

"He-hello?" Tsuna bowed his head in pardon to the former.

"What did I say about making a caller wait in the phone, Dame-Tsuna?"

"Reborn! It's not my fault! Lambo must have changed your—" Tsuna suddenly broke off what he was saying, aware of the dangerous ground he was treading on.

"_My—?_"the voice returned silkily.

"N-nothing! Nothing at all! Ahaha-ha." Maybe the other wouldn't guess the cold sweat that appeared in Tsuna's face.

"That stupid cow must have changed my ringtone again, right?"

Tsuna gave up and tried changing the subject instead, "What can I do for you, Reborn?"

"Don't think about changing the subject either. You tell that cow that he's not getting off my hate list."

_'Was he ever out of it?'_ Tsuna was rueful as he silently asked.

"I'll be sure to add this and collect the next time I come visit you two ❤." Tsuna wondered why he could almost hear a plump heart at the end of the sentence. A black one.

"Anyway, the mess that cow made is almost fixed. He better make the most out of his hiatus or else—"

Tsuna wasn't the only one affected by the words. Across the town a curly-haired teen felt a chill run down his spine.

"I-I get it." Tsuna was silent for a moment. "He seems to like it here though."

The other paused before saying, "That's good."

"Hey, Reborn."

"Hm?"

"I visited Nami-Middle yesterday. Kind of nostalgic."

At the side of the grey building was a small garden, almost hidden from the street. Tsuna stepped into a wooden pathway and fingered a verdant leaf from a tree. "I start classes tomorrow."

There was another brief pause before—"Dame-Tsuna. Your pace is often slow but you always arrive in the end."

"Reborn..."

"You just thought I was cool, right?"

Tsuna smiled and said, "Thank you."

"You and that cow take care. I'll be checking back soon."

"Okay, take care of yourself too. Say hi to everyone from me."

Tsuna looked up at the building looming over him as he pocketed his phone. He took a deep breath before starting down the path, towards the building.

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**A/N + credits.**

→ Ringtone is _Hot Potato _by The Wiggles, a fun song =D . I got the idea of Tsuna 'almost dancing' in his cell search through the song: www. youtube watch ? v= NBWQCHb95rg (no spaces)

→ _Hot Potato_ lyrics taken from lyrics. wikia The_Wiggles : Hot_Potato (no spaces)

→ To those interested (I'm probably getting ahead of myself but what the heck ^^;), I'm going to make my lj comm: cameo-crush (refer to my profile for link) my "main base" for posting fics because I'll be able to update there faster & some html characters apparently don't show up correctly in ff (links too ^^;). I'll try to put up everything here in ff but if you want the full experience I suggest visiting cameo-crush. No need to join, the fics are public. I'm also going to be posting those rated M & higher (eventually) in there, because as you may already know ff is rejecting those kind of fics.


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